5 Ways to Create Faux Freckles That Look Totally Natural

Whether you have them naturally or need to fake it ’til you make it, freckles are always a good idea and have become increasingly more popular in makeup trends over the past few years. Since freckles are here to stay and help your complexion look flushed and healthy, you might need some help in re-creating them if you weren’t born with them, to begin with. If you don’t have a natural freckle in sight but desperately want some, we’ve got great news: you can fake your freckles. From freckle pens to henna, we’ve rounded up a few different ways you can fake the look of freckles that are way easier than you might think. Ahead, are all of the tips you need to know for creating the most believable, natural-looking freckles that will have anyone fooled.

01 Experiment with a Freckle Pen

Yes, freckle pens are a real thing and make our lives so easy when creating faux freckles. Thanks to Freck Beauty, they’ve created freckle pens that are specifically designed to help you create freckles in a few different shades for different skin tones. To use the pens correctly, all you need to do is dip the brush in the product and lightly apply freckles on the face to resemble a natural cluster. The key with this product is to continue to tap the brush lightly onto the skin until you’ve created enough freckles to your satisfaction. The more you practice with the brush, the easier it will get. If you add space in between freckles, the better and more believable they’ll end up looking. This freckle pen from Sephora can also help apply natural-looking freckles if you’re looking for something slightly different.

Freck Beauty
Freck The Original Freckle $28.00

02 Take a Second Look at Your Brow Pencil

Since brow pencils can be natural in tone, they are a great tool to utilize when creating freckles that blend well with your skin and hair. You want to avoid creating freckles with a noticeable contrast that they look out of place on the face. A few different brow products will work for this, yet those with precise pointed tips are best to create a natural freckle look since they are naturally small. You can use a waterproof pencil with a fine tip such as this Brow Blade Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil & Ink Stain from Urban Decay. This dual-sided pencil contains a precise pencil and marker that help define and fill in freckles on the skin, not to mention suitable natural, fluffy-looking eyebrows. When practicing with a brow pencil, you can opt to try different-sized freckles to see which ones work best. While you want to avoid anything looking noticeably large, the more misshaped they are, the more they will come off as natural, and no one will be the wiser.

Urban Decay
Brow Blade Ink Stain Waterproof Pencil $26.00 $15.60

03 Opt for Waterproof Eyeliner

If you need something in a pinch and have a waterproof eyeliner (liquid or pencil) in a soft brown or darker brown tone lying around, that can also be used as a tool to create faux freckles. With waterproof formulas, it’s important to keep in mind that once they’ve set on the skin, they are a tad harder to remove, so precision is key with the pencil to make sure there’s no smearing or smudging. If you’re going to try this tip, gently apply the pencil to the skin to create a faint dot and then follow up by pressing a tad harder for the freckle to become more visible. If you’re using a liquid eyeliner, press the tip on a paper towel a few times to get the ink flowing and make sure the tip has enough product.

Think of it like a practice run before applying the freckles for good. Try this technique for a few days to get the hang of creating the freckle shape and using the product together. While this might take you longer, they will look better in the long run with a little patience. Be sure to keep your hands off your face throughout the day not to ruin any of the freckles you’ve applied.

e.l.f. Cosmetics
Waterproof Eyeliner Pen $3.00
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04 Use a Stencil

If the act of creating faux freckles on your own is intimidating, don’t worry. You can use a stencil to help you know where to place the freckles and utilize it as a guide if you’re feeling overwhelmed. This stencil kit from Bronzie is easy to use and will give you the look of freckles in a few simple steps and completely takes away the worry of knowing where and how to apply them. Place the stencil across the face as directed and use makeup to fill in the areas where the freckles should be, along with thinking about where the sun hits naturally on the face for a sun-kissed, freckled finish. If you want your freckles to last, apply a setting spray to the skin after you’re done to keep everything in place.

Bronze
The Ultimate Tan Your Own Freckle Stencil $7.00

05 Consider Using Henna

Mihenna
The Henna Freckle Kit $18.99

Known for creating gorgeous, long-lasting works of art on the skin, henna has been used for centuries in hair and beauty remedies and treatments and is suitable to use for creating faux freckles, too. Using a kit like this one from Mihenna is ideal if henna is the route you’re taking. An organic, ready-made henna paste, moisturizing coconut oil, and a specially shaped cone that gives precise and natural freckles are included in the kit for a freckle application that lasts and looks beautiful. Freehand freckles on your face or body by using the cone to apply the henna; wherever you decide, this kit will turn you into a pro for creating freckles in no time at all. Lightly tap the henna after you’ve applied it to the skin to help set it and keep freckles in place.

Why LancΓ΄me Teint Idole Ultra Wear Is the Only Foundation I Like to Wear

I’ve never been aΒ foundationΒ girl. My makeup arsenal is full ofΒ BB creams,Β CC creams, tinted serums, and any other version of breathable face makeup that is anything but the foundation. But as we return to our β€œnew normal,” I’m trying to break old beauty habits and give products I’ve initially written off in the past a second chance, like foundation. I chose to test an editor-favorite β€” theΒ LancΓ΄me Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Wear Foundation. I’ve heard my fellow BeautyLeeBar.com editors, as well as beauty influencers on social media, sing its praises so I had to get my hands on a bottle. The brand kindly sent one over so I could share my experience as someone who’s always had an aversion to a foundation.

The Formula

LancΓ΄me Teint Idole Ultra Foundation is hailed for its 24-hour full-coverage formula that leaves behind a natural matte finish with SPF 15. The fact that it comes in 50 diverse shades makes the daunting task of finding your foundation true match way easier. I used theΒ E-Shade FinderΒ on Lancome.com, a virtual foundation shade-matcher tool, to find my skin’s best foundation shade, which turned out to be 520 Suede Warm.

The formula itself contains eternal soft polymers which LancΓ΄me notes allow for β€œan increased level of comfort for ultra-long wear”, plus ingredients like perlite and silica to absorb excess oil.

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My ExperienceΒ 

After applying face primer, I blended in a few drops with a makeup sponge and then went back in to add a couple more drops for my desired coverage. The color blended beautifully into my skin tone and might be the closest match to any of my face makeup (proof of the E-Shade Finder’s powers). I finished the rest of my makeup and went about my day, never having to blot my T-zone area.

My go-to complexion products leave me with my desired dewy look, so I was nervous about how I’d feel with a matte complexion. When I think of anything matte, I think of the matte lipstick formulas that glide on smooth but eventually tighten throughout the day, resulting in cracked lips. But a cracked complexion wasn’t the case at all for me here. Instead, my skin looked polished without being overly matte and felt comfortable enough to wear all day.

While I’m still not ready to fully retire my signature dewy makeup look, I will make a space in my arsenal for this foundation. I feel like I’ve found the unicorn of foundations in LancΓ΄me Teint Idole Ultra Foundation: semi-matte, but not flat, oil-absorbing, and true to color.

5 Concealers to Use Without Foundation for a Less-Is-More Makeup Routine

On days when you want to opt for foundation-like coverage that takes less effort,Β concealerΒ is the way to go. Medium-to-full coverageΒ formulas can easily blend into the skin for a flawless and crease-free finish. Ahead, we rounded up the veryΒ best concealer formulasΒ that can take the place of foundation.

nyx bare with me concealer serum

NYX Professional Makeup Bare With Me Serum Concealer

This medium-coverage concealer formulated with tremella mushroom, cica and green tea is hydrating and leaves behind a dewy finish. It can be blended out all over the face for a sheer tint or layered on targeted areas for a velvety smooth coverage.

dermablend cover care concealer

Dermablend Cover Care Full Coverage Concealer

For a heavy-duty formula that can easily cover up everything from acne-scars to active breakouts, opt for this formula from Dermablend. It lasts for up to 24 hours and will leave the skin looking flawless.

lancome teint idole concealer

LancΓ΄me Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer 

A lightweight yet full-coverage option, this Teint Idole formula will instantly become your favorite. It’s very breathable, feels comfortable on the skin and won’t cake β€” no matter how long you keep it on for.

urban decay stay naked concealer

Urban Decay Stay Naked Correcting Concealer

Want an even-toned complexion sans the foundation? Apply this formula from Urban Decay on problematic areas and watch them disappear before your eyes. It’s full coverage, easily blendable and won’t crease or crack throughout the day.

huda beauty concealer

Huda Beauty The Overachiever Concealer

There’s a reason why this concealer is a cult-favorite. It’s longwearing, super creamy and blends flawlessly into a variety of skin tones with little finesse. No matching foundation needed!

Easy Back-to-School Makeup Tutorials for People of Color

Back-to-school seasonΒ is always full of excitement and nerves, especially if you’re returning to in-person class after a long time away. The last thing you need to worry about is yourΒ back-to-school makeupΒ amid all this change. Lucky for you, we rounded up our favoriteΒ beginner-friendly makeup tutorials for women of colorΒ to rock in the virtual classroom or person. Keep reading for the tutorials, which are full of affordableΒ drugstore makeupΒ recommendations.

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Glowy, Natural Makeup

We understand the rush that sometimes comes with making it to school on time, which is why we love this quick and easy natural beat by content creator Tea Renee. She gives an especially in-depth description of how she gets her brows so flawless while using minimal products.

Natural Makeup for Acne-Prone Skin

If you’re looking to cover acne and hyperpigmentation without your makeup appearing cakey, turn to this video by Colleen Ho. She also showcases a quick and easy way to create faux freckles!

No-Makeup Makeup

This back-to-school makeup tutorial is the epitome of natural beauty. While Ashley Quiroz has a medium skin tone, her minimalist, less-is-more makeup approach translates flawlessly on all skin tones.

Foundation-Free Drugstore Makeup

Looking to add coverage without using foundation? Watch Haley Kim’s back-to-school makeup tutorial using concealer and color correcting to pinpoint areas she wants to draw attention away from. Bonus: she only uses drugstore products.

Subtle Glam Makeup

Want to add a little more drama to your back-to-school makeup look? Lexsa Marie has you covered with this beginner-friendly back-to-school makeup tutorial targeted at oily complexions. Learn how to lock in your makeup all day and keep shine to a minimum with her techniques.